Proterozoic mafic magmatism in Siberian craton: An overview and implications for paleocontinental reconstruction

We present a summary of late Paleoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic mafic magmatism in the Siberian craton, including recently published U-Pb and 40Ar-39Ar dates. These new precise ages suggest that at least some of the previously published K-Ar ages of Siberian mafic bodies should be ignored. The time-space geochronological chart, or the 'barcode' of mafic magmatic events shows significant differences between northern and southern Siberia. Both are characterized by ∼1900-1700 Ma magmatic events, but then there was an almost 1 Ga mafic magmatic 'pause' in south Siberia until ∼800 Ma. Meanwhile there are indications of multiple mafic magmatic events in North Siberia (Anabar shield and Olenek uplift) between ∼1600 and 1000 Ma. A series of magmatic events probably related to the breakup of Rodinia occurred in southern Siberia after ∼800 Ma. So far, there are no indications of late Neoproterozoic mafic magmatism in North Siberia. Ca. 1000-950 Ma mafic sills were reported from Meso- to Neo-Proterozoic sedimentary successions in the Sette-Daban area on the east side of the Siberian craton, but their tectonic setting is debated. Recent Ar-Ar dates of ∼1750 Ma for NW-trending dykes in the Aldan and Anabar shields, together with similar-age NNE-trending Baikal uplift dykes in south-eastern Siberia suggest the existence of a giant radial dyke swarm possibly related to a mantle plume centred in the Vilyui River area.